Kewanee woman’s ‘brush with death’ has life-saving message

Friday

Nov 30, 2012 at 7:30 PMNov 30, 2012 at 7:31 PM

The dangers of carbon monoxide

Dave Clarke

Bea Clark calls it her “brush with death.”When she was 17, Bea, or Beatrice as she was called back then, and her parents, George and Louise Addis, nearly died when their home filled with carbon monoxide 50 years ago this winter.Bea, now a paraprofessional at Irving School, shared her narrow escape from death this fall at a fire safety program presented at the school by members of the Kewanee Fire Department.One of the firefighters said people would benefit — and maybe lives would even be saved — by her telling her story in the newspaper, so here goes.It was around 3 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 9, 1962. All three family members were asleep on the second floor of thier home at 521 Pine St. The story in the Star Courier later that day called it “gas asphyxiation.”Bea, then a senior at Kewanee High School, awoke around 3 with a sick feeling. She went to her parents’ room and said she was not well and was going downstairs. According to Mr. Addis, his daughter went down several steps, reeled, passed out and fell to the bottom of the stairs. She was not injured in the fall, according to the account.Addis went to her aid after hearing the fall. His wife followed. When his wife reached the bottom of the stairs, she also fainted. Addis explained that he attempted to make a phone call to police, but “the numbers were fuzzy.” Instead, he took his wife and daughter to the kitchen, opened the door and returned to the phone. He then passed out. Bea, revived by the air, went back into the room where her father was and shook him into consciousness. A call was placed with police who came to the home immediately.Mrs. Addis and Bea were taken to St. Francis Hospital in Kewanee for treatment. George Addis initially told authorities he had “recovered sufficiently,” but by 2:45 Friday afternoon he was also admitted to the hospital where his wife and daughter were still under observation.Addis told the Star Courier, “The fact that we slept upstairs helped us quite a bit.”The followup story in the Saturday, Jan. 10 Star Courier revealed an investigation by Illinois Power Co. inspectors Friday afternoon disclosed that the apparent reason for the near asphyxiation of the family was that a draft convertor on the gas furnace had accidentally closed.According to Illinois Power officials, the draft convertor fastening was loose and had closed. According to the story, the convertor was located between the furnace and chimney. Once the convertor closed, the gas fumes entered the Addis home, filling it from the basement upward — which explains why the family members were overcome when they descended to the first floor, and why opening the kitchen door helped vent some of the poisonous gas.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, each year, more than 400 Americans die from unintentional carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, more than 20,000 visit the emergency room and more than 4,000 are hospitalized due to CO poisoning. Fatality is highest among Americans 65 and older.The CDC website also carried the following information on the dangerous gas:Carbon monoxide, or CO, is an odorless, colorless gas that can cause sudden illness and death. Carbon monoxide is found in combustion fumes, such as those produced by cars and trucks, small gasoline engines, stoves, lanterns, burning charcoal and wood, and gas ranges and heating systems. CO from these sources can build up in enclosed or semi-enclosed spaces. People and animals in these spaces can be poisoned by breathing it.The most common symptoms of CO poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion, the site states. High levels of CO inhalation can cause loss of consciousness and death. Unless suspected, CO poisoning can be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms mimic other illnesses. People who are sleeping or intoxicated can die from CO poisoning before ever experiencing symptoms.How does CO poisoning work? Red blood cells pick up CO quicker than they pick up oxygen. If there is a lot of CO in the air, the body may replace oxygen in blood with CO. This blocks oxygen from getting into the body, which can damage tissues and results in death.How can you prevent CO poisoning?- Have your heating system, water heater and any other gas, oil, or coal burning appliances serviced by a qualified technician every year.- Do not use portable flameless chemical heaters (catalytic) indoors. Although these heaters don’t have a flame, they burn gas and can cause CO to build up inside your home, cabin, or camper.- Install a battery-operated or battery backup CO detector in your home and check or replace the battery when you change the time on your clocks each spring and fall.The Kewanee firefighters know what a silent killer carbon monoxide in the home can be and they probably recognized that most of what Bea’s family did 50 years ago is still the right thing to do today. It also proves it can happen here and to people we know. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission website, if you think you are experiencing symptoms of CO poisoning, get outside to fresh air immediately. Leave the home and call the fire department to report your symptoms from a neighbor’s home. You could lose consciousness and die if you stay in the home.It is also important to seek medical attention immediately for a proper diagnosis. Tell the doctor or medical personnel that you suspect CO poisoning is causing your problems. Prompt medical attention is important if you are experiencing any symptoms of CO poisoning. Fortunately, Bea’s family survived the “brush with death,” but the incident makes an important point for this time of year. Faulty furnaces and heating systems may not only cause poisonous gas to fill your home, they can also cause fires. If you haven’t had your home checked yet this year, do it before really cold weather arrives. As Bea learned, it can happen to anyone.Luckily, she and her parents lived and their story my save some else half a century later.